I tried to get as clear of a shot as I could but the lens on my camera isn't really for macro shots. I found a few of these little buggers on a cucumber plant I was getting ready to replant and I have no idea what they are! This is the biggest one but there were much smaller ones that looked like immature ones. I also noted white spots on the tops of the leaves and very small black spots on the bottom. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks =D
I'm not an insect expert, but it looks like some sort of aphid to me. A strong blast of water is what you usually try first with aphids, but it may not work too well on cucumber plants. I usually use Ladybugs or Lacewings next ( they show up on their own in my yard) but there is probably an organic spray that would give you quicker results.
Hmm I will have to check and see what they have at one of my local nuseries. Someone told me its most likely a kind of aphid. This plant defiantly could't take a strong blast of water and its on in a balcony garden so I don't think it would work haha. =D Thanks
Definitely an aphid. We treat our infected plants with Neem.
http://www.tastefulgarden.com/store/pc/Neem-2-Organic-Vegetable-spray-46p156.htm
Your cucumber also looks like it has powdery mildew, and maybe something else fungal too, so I highly suggest the Neem II.
This message was edited Apr 29, 2012 7:58 PM
Thanks for the link! I have been hearing a lot about neem oil and I have been wanting to give it a try =D
Np! The Neem II we use at work seems to do a good job =)
I just ordered some pure neem oil, I have been wanting to try it for a few uses around the house besides plants. I'm going to mix it with a few drops of dish soap in a spray bottle with water.
I have read that this approach works great and can even help break the life cycle of fungus gnats which I have also had a bit of a problem with. A bag of dirt I grabbed from the hardware store was infested with them and now I always sanitize my dirt first after they almost killed my poor Hawaiian ti tree. I still find a few flitting around once in a while and my venus flytrap caught one the other day.
Yeah the reason I suggested Neem II is because you seem to be having a fungal issue as well as a bug issue.
Good luck though!
